News 2020

News ILSI Mesoamerica
2020

January – April

ILSI Global held its annual 2020 meeting in January 2020 San Jose, Costa Rica. The main objective of the meeting is to learn about the emerging science of food security and nutrition and to identify areas where ILSI can have an impact on public health. This multidisciplinary meeting is an opportunity for experts from all sectors to collaborate and share knowledge.

To review more about the Annual Meeting and review the videos of the presentations, you can visit the page: Annual Meeting and Scientific Symposium, ILSI 2020

On February 13, ILSI Mesoamerica held its General Assembly. On this occasion, there was the pleasant participation of many of the industrial partners and academic allies, as well as special guests. As part of the agenda, all the reports corresponding to the year 2019 and the work plan for 2020 were presented.

After this, the process of electing various positions for the Board of Directors was carried out.

To know more details of the Assembly, you can do it here.

 

Webinars: In an effort to provide scientific information around the topics that concern us and in the framework of the COVID19 pandemic, ILSI Mesoamerica is organizing a series of online activities.

  1. Webinar: Biotechnology / COVID19- the science behind the development of vaccines in the 21st century
  2. Webinar: Nutrition / Nutrients and the Inumological System

May June

Project progress report:

  1. Caribbean Network in Human Movement and Health: During the months of April to June, the approach began virtually with The University of Trinidad and Tobago, the University of Guyana, The University of the West Indies of Jamaica, The University of the West Indies Barbados headquarters, and with the University of the Bahamas to form the Network, there are currently 2 confirmed Universities.
  2. Study of the intestinal microbiota and the nutritional situation of adults of the Nicoya Peninsula and the Greater Metropolitan Area (GAM): During the month of February the second part of the Nutrition tour was carried out, where anthropometric measurements were taken to 30 long-lived (ages 80 to 99 years, UCREA participants) and 55 relatives of the centenarians. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, face-to-face tours are canceled, however, the project continued to work remotely.
  3. Bibliographic Review: Scientific evidence as a basis for public health: A greater focus on evidence-based public health has numerous direct and indirect benefits, including access to more, higher-quality information about what works, a greater likelihood of successful programs and implemented policies, greater productivity, and more efficient use of public and private resources.
  4. Bibliographic review: Current situation of Malnutrition in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean: strategies for its approach and implications of climate change: Currently Mesoamerica is the region most affected by chronic malnutrition in girls and boys between 0-5 years. For 2015, the prevalence of chronic malnutrition doubled the prevalence of overweight and obesity in girls and boys, making it a highly important Public Health problem in the region.

Webinars developed by ILSI Mesoamerica:

  1. Webinar: A Planetary Health-Health, Post COVID-19 Food Systems, and Regenerative Development.
  2. Webinar: Practices and procedures in the food industry before COVID-19.
  3. Webinar: Crisis management and business continuity in the face of unknown risks.

Webinars developed by ILSI Latin America entities:

  1. Webinar: Food in times of social isolation: what happens in Latin America.
  2. Webinar: Biotechnology and Health: Stem cells – Basic and translational aspects of human medicine.
  3. Webinar: Low calorie, non-calorie sweeteners.
  4. Webinar: Biotechnology and Health: Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Therapies, experiences in Latin America.
  5. Webinar: Nutritional Importance of DHA: From the Brain to the Immune System.

July – September

Project progress report:

1- E-learning course: a program for general and nutritional labeling of packaged foods: During the month of August and the first week of September, the online course on the Program for General and Nutritional Labeling of Packaged Foods is held. For this occasion, 45 people participated.

2- ELANS Costa Rica II Phase: four new scientific articles were published in July:

  • Anthropometric profile and prevalence of overweight and obesity in the urban population of Costa Rica between 20 and 65 years old, grouped by sex: results of the Latin American Study of Nutrition and Health.
  • Consumption of fruits and vegetables in the Costa Rican urban population: Results of the Latin American Study of Nutrition and Health (ELANS) -Costa Rica.
  • Dietary Diversity and Micronutrients Adequacy in Women of Childbearing Age: Results from ELANS Study
  • Prevalence of inadequate micronutrient intake in the urban population of Costa Rica

All publications are available at ilsimesoamerica.org/publications/

3- Reduction of Food Loss and Waste in the Central American Region: a discussion was held to delve into the specific problem of Food Loss and Waste in the Central American region and the real potential that exists in the region to reverse its inertia. The Executive Director of ILSI Mesoamerica Dr. Hannia León participated in the event. In addition, we collaborated with the # SinDesperdicioCentroamérica contest by inviting professors from our Academic Partners to be part of the evaluators of the proposals. Finally, the participation of 4 professors from the Universities was achieved: USAC from Guatemala, UNANLeón from Nicaragua, UTP from Panama, and UP from Panama.

Webinars developed by ILSI Latin America entities:

  1. Webinar: Innovation, Food, and COVID-19 What can we do?
  2. Webinar: An Overview of the Labeling of Foods Derived from Genetically Modified Organisms and NON-GMO statements
  3. Webinar: Biotechnology and Epidemiological Surveillance
  4. II Argentine FORUM and IV Latin American: Responsible Communication in Science and Health
  5. Webinar: Contribution of Dairy in the Elderly
  6. Webinar: Microbiota and Immune System

October – December 

Webinars developed by ILSI Mesoamerica:

  1. Webinar: The bioeconomy: a route to sustainable development
  2. Webinar: Nicoya Blue Zone: Factors associated with healthy aging
  3. Webinar: Bioeconomy: Success stories and lessons learned
  4. Webinar: Bioeconomics: success stories and lessons learned. II Part

Webinars developed by ILSI Latin America entities:

  1. Online Course: Technical-scientific update sessions on applications and effects of non-caloric sweeteners in food
  2. Webinar: Panel: Transformation of food systems along the production chain during and after Covid-19
  3. Webinar: Scientific Update Series: Added Sugars at Different Stages of Life Micronutrients (Video) and Health of the Elderly (video of session 1 and video of session 2)
  4. Webinar: Vitamin D. Current situation in children and women of childbearing age
  5. Webinar: Micronutrients and Immunity
  6. Webinar: Charlamagistral on Vitamin D
  7. Fats Webinar: Evidence in Nutrition and Health
  8. Webinar: Palm Oil of the Genus Elaeis and oxidative stress
  9. Scientific Update Series: Use of microorganisms in agriculture and food